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Pallavi Anand
Managing Director at Robert Half Hong Kong,
explains how team leaders can keep staff satisfied
...retain talent by maintaining
motivation in the workplace
T
he ability to motivate a
team to work efficiently
is critical to organizational success. This is especially
true amid intense competition to
keep talent in companies. Strong
organization, solid procedures and
a focus on motivating staff are keys
to keeping productivity high.
Here are six tips:
Encourage regular honest
and open communication
Employers need to communicate
with employees so they know what
the company’s goals are. This will
make them feel involved and part
of a team. Team members should
also be encouraged to openly express their concerns, observations
and suggestions. Knowing that their
opinion is valued is a strong motivating factor.
Give clear directions
One of the most common reasons
why team members lack motivation is because they are not given
the directions they need. Managers
should give clear instructions and
help the team understand how their
responsibilities align with business
goals. But they should take care not
to come across as heavy-handed.
Many employees won’t ask for
more details for fear of appearing
incompetent and they will become
frustrated if they don’t seem to be
making progress with a project. Every project must have a reasonable
deadline so that your team knows
what they are working towards.
Offer the right incentives
While money is important, it is not
the only way to motivate staff. Consider using a range of incentives to
keep the team hungry for success.
For example, offering an overseas
secondment as an opportunity to
gain valuable cultural experience.
The chance to receive mentoring
will also be appealing for people
looking to build their career. Others
will be excited by the opportunity to
enjoy more flexible work hours or
the chance to work from home.
Recognize staff for a job
well done
Staff recognition is often overlooked
but it is an extremely effective and
low-cost way to improve workplace
motivation. Acknowledge a specific
person or team’s contribution, which
has gone beyond everyday expectations. A celebratory drink at the end
of a well-executed project will help
keep spirits up and promote bonding. It’s all about showing employees that their hard work is valued.
in temporary professionals to cover
longer absences.
Choose your words
carefully
How supervisors communicate with
staff will have a big impact on motivation. While it’s advantageous to
be as transparent in the communication as possible, finding the right
mix of straight talk, criticism and
praise will boost the team’s productivity – and the employer's reputation as a capable manager. Sometimes, the method is the message.
​With these strategies in place,
staff members would be better
motivated, consistently delivering
the results the business needs
and ultimately ensuring the
organization stays one step ahead
of the competition.
Manage absenteeism
proactively
Regular absenteeism of team members, whether because of illness or
personal commitments, can often
have a demotivating impact on other
employees. Other team members
forced to pick up the slack may feel
they are being overburdened. While
some leave is unavoidable, there are
ways to minimize the impact of a
staff being out of the office such as
offering flexible working options,
redirecting workflow and bringing
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